The Death Wish

They rode quietly through the mountain passes, their weapons and tack muffled by cloths to prevent any sounds that might travel to unwanted ears. Garrus kept one hand on his saddle horn, and one hand on his wand, but the young wizard couldn't help but notice Valgard's face. They'd ridden together for months now, and in all that time the big man had worn an expression like a thunderhead, barely speaking more than a handful of words. But now it was like the sun had broken through. His sullen eyes were bright, and his dour countenance uplifted. There was an eagerness about him that made him seem lighter. It was difficult to tell through his beard, but he appeared to be smiling.

"The hell are you smiling about?" Garrus hissed through his teeth.

Before Valgard could answer, a ululating cry echoed across the hills. Off in the mist, shadows began to mass. Shadows in the shape of men, but who moved faster than any man could. Valgard's beard parted to show strong, white teeth, and he slid his sword into his hand.

"Death lurks in these mountains, little man," Valgard rumbled, leaning forward in his saddle as the figures began to form up along the road. "We have been courting for some time. Perhaps today is the day she grants me the kiss I seek."

Before Garrus could say anything to that, Valgard dug his heels into his horse's flanks, and man and beast both leaped to battle. Laughter erupted from his throat, echoing through the fog as Valgard ran to meet his doom before it could escape him once again.

Death... But Not For You?

Death hangs over every adventurer on a quest... but for some death is a welcomed friend, rather than a foe to be resisted at every turn. These individuals wish for death, and it is likely this wish that put them on the campaign trail in the first place.

The Death Wish, as a character, is someone who wishes to die, but who feels they cannot simply do the deed themselves. Whether it's because that would be dishonorable, or selfish, or pointless, they have chosen (or been forced) to use their skills and talents to try to achieve some goal in their pursuit of the proper death.

The first thing you need to decide is what has caused the character to reach this decision. Do they feel survivor's guilt that every member of their last party died, but they did not? Do they have a loved one they hope to join in the afterlife, but they know they must die an honorable death in order to be reunited? Did they commit a great crime, and this is their penance for the act? Did they run away from a dangerous situation before, leaving others to die? Or worse, just lay down and pretend they were dead as others lost their lives all around them?

Those who've read Gotrek and Felix may recognize the dwarven slayer as one of the most popular versions of this character archetype, but he's far from the only one. Not only that, but this style of character can be applied to really any species or class. One could make a monk who embraces the idea that only by accepting one's death, and holding absolutely nothing in reserve, can they achieve perfection in combat. A barbarian who is the last of their clan who seeks death in battle, and who finds themselves surrounded by the spirits of their ancestors as their Rage overtakes them, would also be an interesting version of the Death Wish. A ranger suffering from the curse of lycanthropy seeking a foe strong enough to end their misery, a sorcerer who carries the guilt of how they accidentally killed someone (or several people) when they hadn't yet mastered their powers, a necromancer who has been giving bits of themselves to death over the years, stepping closer and closer to the grave... there are a hundred different ways to spin this archetype.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind, though, is asking whether the character eventually overcomes the circumstances that instilled the death wish in them in the first place. Do they come to terms with their previous actions, or atone in some way? Do they find a new family that supports them, helping them heal from a past trauma? Do they leave the faith that instilled a fatalistic world view in them? Are they pardoned for a crime, given a reprieve from seeking their own untimely end? Do they die, and come back, thus paying the debt they owed?

While this was one of the more fun additions to the supplement 100 Character Goals and Motivations, there's nothing that says the character has to overcome this mad need to rush into danger hoping that this time they find that foe who is their equal, sending them to the next world with a bloody grin on their face... but they can grow and change beyond it if that makes the story better!

Additional Reading

For those looking for some story fodder for a Death Wish character, you should check out the following supplements:

- 100 Random Mercenary Companies: More than one company in this list is filled with warriors who seek death. Whether to atone for their old losses on the battlefield, to serve a higher purpose, or merely because the sword is all they know, many of these forces walk the line between death cults and soldiers of fortune.

- 100 Knightly Orders: While some take oaths out of hope, duty, or fealty, others take oaths out of despair. Oaths of service to ideals that put them on a direct course with death... whether it will be a heroic death or not remains to be seen, and often matters neither to the knight, nor the order.

Looking For Even More Content?

That's all for this installment of my Unusual Character Concepts series! Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

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